Tesla’s stock experienced an increase on Monday as Elon Musk highlighted the prospective benefits of the company’s humanoid robots.
In a post on X, Musk stated, “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026.”
During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk indicated that the Optimus robot would enter limited production in 2025, projecting that over 1,000 units could be operational within the company by year-end. While two robots are currently in use at the factory, Tesla has not disclosed their specific functions.
Musk also mentioned that he envisions the robots could contribute an additional $20 trillion to Tesla’s market value. However, these robots are not expected for sale until late 2025, with a projected price tag ranging from $20,000 to $30,000.
There are uncertainties regarding Musk’s definition of “genuinely useful.” Previous demonstrations of the products have raised skepticism; for instance, a video released in May showed an Optimus robot folding a shirt, which some suggested was operated by an off-screen individual.
Tesla has faced criticism in the past for its promotional tactics surrounding the robot. The project was initially unveiled in 2021 with a demonstration featuring a dancer in a robot suit, which raised questions about the seriousness of their claims.
Analyst Craig Irwin from Roth MKM expressed doubts about Tesla’s robot aspirations, stating, “A sentient humanoid robot by 2025? I mean come on, they tried to launch this product with a dancer inside of a robot suit. It’s gonna be hard for them to catch up to Boston Dynamics. What they’ve shown us is really state of the art for 2014.”
In addition to competing with Boston Dynamics, Tesla will face challenges from Honda and Apptronik in Japan. Moreover, Chinese automakers Dongfeng Motor and Nio are experimenting with humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics on their assembly lines, while BMW has been working with Silicon Valley-based Figure’s humanoid robots since January.
Following Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s stock rose over 3% on Monday. The shares have remained relatively stable throughout the year after a significant rebound over the past two months.
On Tuesday, Tesla is set to release its second-quarter earnings, during which Musk is anticipated to provide updates on the delayed robotaxi project.